An arborist who has worked at Buckingham and Kensington Palaces finds it upsetting that, year after year, he sees a steady and dramatic reduction in the number of trees lining Malta’s roads.
“Everything is just being taken out when these trees are not near buildings or damaging the road... I really feel that this is a big mistake,” said Ian Lansley, a professional consultant arborist and international lecturer on forestry, arboriculture and ecology.
He is in Malta to deliver a series of speeches about the importance of trees in our environment organised by the Tree Group. The group was set up by environmental NGO Flimkien għal Ambjent Aħjar to promote respect for trees and raise public consciousness about the impact of their destruction.
Mr Lansley – who served as tree care manager at Buckingham Palace, Kensington Palace, Marlborough House, Hampton Court and the Tower Of London – has been coming to Malta regularly for the past seven years.
He is concerned about the poor tree care being practised in Malta. Describing some pruning as “butchery with a chainsaw”, he said he had seen examples of pruning that had no respect for the aesthetics, the value of the tree or the whole area.
“If you prune trees in the wrong way it can increase root growth, which can be damaging in the urban environment... There are specific pruning points to a tree and, if you cut through, you take away the tree’s natural ability to heal itself and the tree can become diseased,” he said, underlining the importance of having trained people do the job.
He also knew of examples of trees that were uprooted for replanting in a way that would not allow them to survive. Proper regulations and training were essential.
He added that trees were important for the environment as they helped break up the soil and let water drain into the natural aquifers. There was also the economic benefit as they attracted people and drew tourists. It was no coincidence that people drifted towards places with trees for recreational purposes, he said.
The Tree Group’s seminar is organised in collaboration with the Hub for Ethnobotanical Research, which forms part of the President’s Foundation for the Well-Being of Society.
A talk will be held today at the San Anton Palace, Attard, at 6.30pm and tomorrow at the Government Experimental Farm, Xewkija, at 5pm.
Mr Lansley will also be speaking during a seminar organised by Transport Malta for architects, road contractors and local councillors on Friday .